The present invention relates to a system for providing more efficient insulation for heating and air conditioning ducts for a number of uses in the home, apartment buildings or other private or commercial buildings that use HVAC or other similar systems for heating and cooling. In particular, the system according to the present invention provides a more effective and increased R value for reflective insulation that is commonly wrapped around the air conditioning or heating duct.
Reflective insulation, as now used in home and industry to insulate heating and air conditioning ducts, insulates primarily by reflecting radiant energy either to or from the duct. This provides, therefore, an R value based only on the reflective properties of the material. It is well known that air is relatively non-conductive of heat or cold and thus it would be advantageous to provide an air space between the reflective insulation material and the duct to take advantage of the non-conductive insulation properties of air. In addition, it would be beneficial for a system that provides for an air space between the duct and the reflective material to be attached to the duct prior to installation, because of the obvious difficulties encountered when wrapping an air duct when it is already installed. Whatever material employed to create the air space, besides being non-conductive, would best be light-weight and rigid.
Presently, there is no system in use in either private or commercial buildings that provides an air space between the reflective material and the duct that is non-conductive, light in weight, rigid, and is capable of being pre-installed to the duct prior to installing the duct itself. Other known methods of spacing reflective insulation are inadequate and inefficient and do not allow for any support so the air space during installation and the R-value is compromised.